Originally posted by MayhemI think alot of people are missing the point ... I'm all AJ, Raven or whoever to have the TNA strap ... but it's Hogan!!! ... it's about the potential exposure he could bring the promotion

Yeah, but that's if Hogan's still a draw. He didn't jump the ratings for Smackdown at all this year when he returned, and the buy rates for No Way Out and Wrestlemania with the attention focused more on him were disappointing.

Then, you add to the fact that his first match back in Japan for nine years drew the lowest attendance ever for New Japan at the Tokyo Dome. And that was against Chono, who's a good draw in his own right.

How many people are going to buy TNA just because of Hogan? They weren't prepared to watch him on free TV, what makes everyone think they'll pay to see him? Especially against guys they've never really heard of before. TNA also runs the risk of alienating their current fan base, which is more internet orientated.

Seems to me there isn't much to gain with this, except for Hogan.

(edited by TheLurkingHorror on 13.10.03 1258)

Speaking for myself, I didn't watch him on free T.V. because he was feuding with Vince freakin' MacMahon! (Not to mention the overall lack of quality of WWE). I'm excited to see him in TNA, but if Russo tries to get involved in the angle on-air, I'll tune out in a heartbeat.

Also, I don't think anyone's mentioned this, but the significance of the attack occurring in Japan was that Chono JOINED Hogan in declaring war on Jarrett! THAT is big news! Combine that with D-LO pinning Keiji Muto and you have the seeds for some potentially great cross-promotion storylines!

Add to that, apparently Tiger Mask IV will be working the 11/30 TNA show and, yes, TNA is definitely going to get interesting.

Originally posted by HirstySpeaking for myself, I didn't watch him on free T.V. because he was feuding with Vince freakin' MacMahon! (Not to mention the overall lack of quality of WWE). I'm excited to see him in TNA, but if Russo tries to get involved in the angle on-air, I'll tune out in a heartbeat.

Also, I don't think anyone's mentioned this, but the significance of the attack occurring in Japan was that Chono JOINED Hogan in declaring war on Jarrett! THAT is big news! Combine that with D-LO pinning Keiji Muto and you have the seeds for some potentially great cross-promotion storylines!

Add to that, apparently Tiger Mask IV will be working the 11/30 TNA show and, yes, TNA is definitely going to get interesting.

Hogan feuded with The Rock when he first came back. That was on free T.V. and it didn't move the ratings at all. Regardless of his lame feud with McMahon, his return did nothing for business.

NJ vs. TNA isn't big news as far as I'm concerned. Apart from fans on the internet, no one has even heard of them, so it'll only interest the current fan base of 20k anyway. Business is so bad and talent so thinly spread out in Japan that the feds will work with anyone with the potential of PPV in the US. It's the one thing Inoki wants more than anything, exposure over here, and he's obviously very desperate.

I look at it this way: TNA has little to lose and everything to gain by this move.

Let's say for a second they never talked to Hogan. Then what? What's the driver that would help them get enough people to watch that they'd eventually break even? Would there ever be enough people frustrated with WWE's programming that they'd be willing to plunk down $10 a week for TNA? What does TNA have that WWE doesn't?

The only thing they could really add to their mix is Hulk Hogan, the man who helped boost the fortunes of the AWA, WWF, WCW and even (marginally) WWE. And YES, I know he sank at least one of them as well, and YES I know the buyrates didn't soar when the nWo returned last year. But you tell me there wasn't legitimate interest in his WMX8 match with Rock. I was there. People wanted to see Hulk Hogan.

Two years after his last big comeback, is that still valid? Will he get the same crowd pop? Will he be able to improve business? Will his backstage influence/salary/demands outweigh the positives? I have no idea.

But let's say it ruins TNA and they go under. Realistically, what chance did they have anyways? The facts: they have a decent financial backer in Panda Energy and some microscopic name recognition via the Internet. They have some decent wrestling and a slew of semi-well known names on their roster. They have some very exciting matches, sure, but their writing is on again, off again. That's hardly a guarantee they'll be around for another year or more.

Go back to a time when wrestling DIDN'T SUCK with a special 'retro' edition of Inside The Ropes!!!

This is an interesting thread, and the link I'm providing will add even more intrigue to the Hogan/TNA/New Japan situation. It doesn't talk about the Hogan-Jarrett feud per se, but it does discuss some of the political factors, according to Zach Arnold.

Yikes- that's some scary shit, and exactly what I was thinking--this confirms that. The best of luck to this new alliance(?). Damn, it's good to see that there was sommeone that had the bauls to stick it to Inoki. CB is also right on the money. Man, I hope this materializes quickly!

Fallin back on dat ass with a hellified gangsta lean, gettin funky on the mike like an old batch of collard greens, its the CapitalSohyesNpressiondoubleOP, DOdoubleGY DOdoubleG you see.

Originally posted by RKMtwinThis is an interesting thread, and the link I'm providing will add even more intrigue to the Hogan/TNA/New Japan situation. It doesn't talk about the Hogan-Jarrett feud per se, but it does discuss some of the political factors, according to Zach Arnold.

The possible New Japan/NWATNA deal seems much more lucrative for New Japan then NWATNA. However, Inoki COULD provide additional financing for NWATNA to possibly lure away people from WWE.

Also, one of the few places the NWA name still means something is in Japan and perhaps this could open the door for a lucrative tour for NWATNA to help generate more funds.

This deal is only really meaningful if NWATNA takes that next step by getting TV and becoming a stable, viable promotion. Then the talent exchange can be meaningful especially with a guy like Mike Tenay doing play-by-play because he'll make you care about people you normally wouldn't.

It also helps the perception of NWATNA as something bigger then it is if they constantly have footage of their guys on a huge show in Japan.

You can sell people anything as long as the perception is there. Goldberg's nothing special at all. In WCW, he was perceived as something special. In WWE, ehhh just another top guy. If they brought over a guy cold from New Japan, big deal nobody would care. If they constantly hype the shit out of the guy, rattling off all sorts of accomplishments and create a mystique and the fans will perceive him as a major superstar. But they need free TV to do that.